Cheer Camp Stinks, Seriously
by BearSent176
Summary: Once more we take you to the behind the scenes look at Unheard Flipper's AU: 'The Truth About Kim and Ron'. Today the aftermath of the 2nd Wannaweep encounter with Gill by our two undercover heroes. Not so much Gill, but some close to home shenanigans brought by another. Sometimes the snake you know brings a few you don't know into the mix. Hope you enjoy!


**Hello and welcome back to another chapter of the lives of Unheard Flipper's main characters in his AU, 'The Truth About Kim and Ron'. We're going to get to them shortly but we'd like to thank the following for their Reviews, Alterts, Faves or Follows: Sentinel103, pbow, Jimmy1201, levi2000a1 and readerjunkie. Thanks to you all and those we haven't found yet.**

**Last time we caught up to our intrepid undercover high school students when Roman was near the end of his convalescence after two major surgeries resulting from the Christmas Mission he ran in Siberia. Wounds are a Bon-Bon, but infections resulting from surgery are much worse…ask levi2000a1 about that…But Kim and Roman caught up with each other as they recounted their Mother's Day Missions each had. Though Roman's wasn't as prosaic as Kim's, hers did allow him to take care of a chore for his cousin at the garage..Curse that garden gnome! That just proves it's possessed! Kim's Mom, on the other hand, got a clue about what her daughter puts up with in this assignment and got hit on to boot, if I remember that episode correcly. And it's further down the road and something else has come up, as we shall soon see.**

**But before we get started we've got to divert the shark frenzy of the Disney Lawyers: The characters and places named within from the Kim Possible program are Disney's and we're just borrowing them. In no way do we make any fundage from their inclusion in our tales. Roman Stopblaski is on loan to us by Unheard Flipper, ditto.**

19

Cheer Camp Stinks, Seriously

_D Hall, Middleton High School:_

"Possible, Stopblaski, good job dismissed.", Mr./Colonel Barkin growled, "Now go to your usual hangout and make yourselves visible, like everything's normal."

"Yes Sir...thank you Sir.", the red head replied with relief as she grabbed her partner, friend and Mad Dog Mascot and hurriedly pulled him out of the private debriefing session. Quite anxious to get to their hangout ASAP, she feared that if they stayed there any longer, their CO just might find something else to assign them to do, or some off-the-cuff or spur-of-the-moment mission he might come up with.

After scanning the hallway to see they were alone, "Vhat's bothering de Colonel, KP?", a confused Roman asked her. "Vhat's de problem? Ve took down fish boy, permanently dis time.", as they power-walked to a school exit.

Doing a double-take in disbelief, "**We** took down fish boy _permanently_?", Kim's voice raising as they pushed the doors open. "What do you mean 'we', Roman?", she said, now in better control of her emotions.

Narrowing her eyes at him, "And what did you do out there Roman, kill Gill?", they both slowed as they got off school grounds.

To this, Roman just shrugged and smiled innocently, whistling as he now lackadaisically walked along.

Taking this in and recovering from her outburst, she thought back on the whole adventure at their second visit to Wannaweep, which took place when they were 'civilians' and _again_ included Barkin and the Cheerleaders.

"Well under the circumstances with that toxic crap that Gill sprayed on him and his charges like that, I think he might not mind what you did with fish boy.", Kim huffed. "But we don't know the long term effects of Gill's goo, either, so I can sympathize with his worries.", she shrugged.

"But man, this is the second time that moron tried this with us, and in spite of his first failure he just had to try this again.", she rolled her eyes.

Grinning, "Yeah, our lettle green buddy vill nefer bother Colonel Barkein, or vou again Kimika, let alone de rest of de squad.", the Russian replied with an air about him that suggested a solution of finality had been taken with the green-skinned mutant who still fancied himself a teen with a justifiable grudge.

Then with a raised eyebrow, "Oh, and how do you know that?", she asked, completely in the dark about what he had done that day.

"Eh wrapped hem in Symetex blanket and fired off deh fuse after Eh followed hem to place where he wes living.", the blond grimaced.

"Ewww, that must have been a gross mess.", she said wide-eyed. "Wait a minute, did Colonel Barkin order it done?", as she turned to him in realization.

"Gripe, gripe, gripe!", Roman bitched, his hands up at the exasperating memory. "All he ded, vas gripe! But ef Barkein tinks about et, he'll realize he gave meh leeway for dis solution..Freak vas trying to take over vorld, so vhat is vorry about a lettle mess.", he calmed down.

Stunned at what Roman just admitted, "But he was a kid...", she paused on the sidewalk.

"Ah...", Roman stopped with her and held up a finger, "Gill had problem with 'Ron Stoppable',", then finger quoted, "from years ago, and good ting for us he nefer got further den his fixation on hem before he could begin plans to take over vorld, or ve vould have trouble vith newcomer our Intel knew nothing 'bout until he got plans going."

Then looking carefully to her, "And as for Gill being teen…Kimika, how long has Ron been dead...", Kim flinched, his voice quiet yet direct.

His eyes softening, "Vou should know, vou live it everyday. Des _teen_ as vou remember hem, twice tried to assassinate us and oter innocents or tried to make dem into hes slaves.", he said solemnly. "Det makes hem terrorist."

Her face scrunching up, she began to cry and the Russian pulled her into a hug at what was coming next. _The quivering lower lip es dead giveaway.'_, he sighed. _'So stupid to remind her of heem like dat.'_

The red head tried to push Roman away, but he didn't let go even when she hit him.

"Let me go.", Kim muffled into his chest.

"No Eh will not until you think and calm down.", Roman replied while keeping both of his arms tight around her as she sobbed and punched him.

After a little time passed she tearfully turned upwards to him, "Why did you kill him?"

Talking softly into her hair, "Gill wes trying to mutate vou, Barkein and the cheer squad, everyvone...nyet, nyet...The whole cheer camp vas event to turn dem into slaves.", Roman said as he hugged her a little tighter. "He vas a terrorist."

Shrugging slightly, "He vouldn't be able to identify other terrorists or their suppliers, but et wes standing order.", he said as he placed his chin on her head.

"Remember vhen you hed to terminate Lynn?", he felt her nod, "Ve gave her only one chance…Gill got two.", Roman explained, holding two fingers up where she could see them.

Pulling back slightly, "I know I know, it's just that I wonder how many more are going to die!", Kim exclaimed sadly, "With all the stuff we're dealing with who knows what the body count will be when we're done."

Leaning back further, "And ef Eh turn bad, Kimika, vou must kill me.", he said, looking directly into her eyes. 'Ef you do please make sure meh money goes to meh children.", he said with a sad smile as he put one finger on his forehead between his eyes, where he wanted it.

Shaking her head, "I am **not** going to kill you Roman."

"Den vou disobey orders, da?", he reminded her of their orders. With a lopsided smile he shook his head slightly, "Nyet, vou good Marine, all good Marines obey orders da? Vou know, for security et only takes one round. Right here.", the Russian again pointed between his eyes.

Gripping him tighter, "Ok, ok, if it has to be done...I'll make sure your kids are taken care of.", she said quietly.

Then after a few moments more passed and Kim had calmed down further, "Now how did you end up as a chipmunk at camp?", Kim giggled, releasing her hold on him and moving the conversation away from the topic Roman took it to.

Letting her go as well, he scratched the back of his neck, "Eh had idea dat Gill set up deh cheer camp vhen ve changed places at mascot competition. So Eh watched him and tried to warn everyvone."

Snorting, "And you found out there was a spoiled vegetable stand outside the gate too, for your efforts didn't you?", Kim sighed at the memory. "Then somehow you turned into a chipmunk.", she giggled again.

"Da, but then Eh found out he wes sneaking out at night on lake.", he said. "So after a couple nights Eh was able to track hem. He led me to a grotto of toxic water.", he said to her surprised reaction.

"When Gill attacked after he changed, Eh went and dove into chemicals to change too because Eh had no weapons at deh camp. Dats vhen Eh turn into **beaver** Kimika, _not_ **chipmunk.**", Roman stressed to her. "Eh had flat tail remember?", he said, patting his backside.

Giggling even more now, "Well for a second Bonnie thought you turned into a horse.", Kim snorted.

Puzzled, Roman looked to her, "E horse? How could Bonnie mistake beaver for horse? Dey look noting alike."

Blushing, she stammered, "Well..you know..Bonnie, she just...hey it just occurred to me, where did your clothes go when you changed over?", Kim asked as Roman suddenly realized he hadn't wondered about that either.

After leaving him to ponder that question, "Come on beaver-boy let's go to the Bueno Nacho, you can buy tonight I'm hungry.", she dragged him on to their hangout.

Stumbling, "Ok KP, Eh em buying, hold vour horses.", he protested as he tried to keep from falling.

After catching his stride, "Now vhat vas going on at Wannaweep vith that lettle war between vou and our sweet little Bon-Bon?", Roman asked with a smile, now putting her on the spot.

An innocent smile, "Well I wanted to leave well enough alone…however when we found out that we were in the same cabin..and that she snores...worse that Dad.", grew into a devious smirk, "I got even when I disconnected her alarm clock and left her cold showers.", she giggle-snorted at the memory.

"Ah, dat is vhy ve heard such a loud scream von morning.", Roman realized.

"It was _almost_ like Boot Camp, but a lot more fun.", Kim said mischievously. "Of course at the last I left some poison ivy in her bunk.", Kim slyly told the Russian.

Eyes open wide, "Oh es dat why she was covered in white splotches, end scratching her behind vhen ve left?", Roman asked.

Shrugging, "Welllll, maybe?", Kim replied vaguely as she hugged Roman's arm, now quietly reminiscing on his physique…and attributes…while he was a clothing-deprived golden haired chipmunk…or whatever he was that day.

A few minutes later they entered the Tex-Mex fast food joint and noted Tara and Bonnie sitting together in a booth across from the door. Roman covertly checked them out and sure enough the teal eyed brunette was still scratching…somewhere.

After they picked up their orders at the counter the blond and red head sat down at their regular booth when Roman decided to stir things up a little with their favorite snarky brunette, "Hey Bon-Bon, you shouldn't scratch like that it gives people the wrong idea...uh I think."

"Stoppable!…I know _you_ had something to do with this! Because of you, I had to go in to the doctor's office for shots today...Look at me, I have to wear that anti-itch cream.", Bonnie growled between scratch-fits. "And having this _really_ cuts into my tanning time.", now really going to town with her scratching.

"Bonnie don't scratch like that you'll make it worse.", Kim advised.

"Shut up Possible, somehow you or that goof are responsible for this.", the brunette snarked.

Tara interceded, "Bonnie, Kim's right, you have to stop scratching."

"You losers.", Bonnie blurted while glaring at two of the banes of her existence.

"We'd better go. We'll see you guys later.", the platinum blonde said as she and Bonnie headed out.

"Yeah, take care Tara, don't catch what Bonnie has.", Ron/Roman advised.

After the other two had left Roman leaned over, "Eh tink vou got even."

Snorting, "Not yet I haven't, but it's a start.", Kim smiled in satisfaction as Roman leaned back and worked on his Naco, while Kim started on her chimerito. Since the restaurant was fairly crowded the two talked about school and the cheer squad during their meal.

After the crowd thinned out, "Eh have to begin to study about controls on new helicopter.", he told her softly.

"Why?", Kim asked.

"Eh have to qualify to fly it. Cross training, vou know? Comes vith new rank in job.", he said simply. "Training school es where Em going when school gets out in two weeks. Eh will be back en August...unless mission comes up.", Roman informed her.

"Why are you going? You can do that qualification here.", Kim shot back, almost in a whisper, "We _have_ the resources you know."

"Yes Eh know, but Eh have oter duties.", Roman vaguely explained.

An eyebrow rising, "Which are?", Kim grated out; her irritation preventing her from noticing that a couple of guys had been looking over at them, or rather, her.

Roman, on the other hand, did, "You are done and we have to go home to 'study'.", he said in suggestion as he rose from his seat in the booth.

Agreeing, "Yeah you're right. Let's go."

As they got up to leave, one of the MHS Seniors, Brian Applewhite, approached. "Hey Kim remember me?", the brown haired young man asked, flashing a confident, so very white smile and raising a hand to smooth his coiffed hair back.

"Yeah, you're Brian something or other.", Kim replied warily as she wondered what he was up to, "What can I do for you?"

His toothy smile fading slightly, then beaming again, "Well I was wondering, if you'd like to go out for a movie tonight?"

"Well I'm sort of busy right now.", Kim responded, motioning to Roman beside her.

"With who?", the Senior asked, glancing a slight scowl at the blond when she turned slightly away.

Turning back, "With Ron.", Kim simply said, curious that she had to actually say it to him.

His smile souring, "Well he's a loser, so ditch him and we can have some fun.", Brian growled disdainfully.

Her eyes narrowing at the pretty-boy Senior, "He's my..."

Cutting in quickly before the self-proclaimed hottie went flying through a window, "Et es Ok KP. I'll see vou later. Hev fun.", Roman smiled as he nudged her to Brian, "Eh have homework to do."

Looking oddly at him, "Ok Ron, I'll see you later.", Kim told her blond friend as he left quickly left the restaurant.

Turning to the Order Counter, "Hang on Kim I gotta get a soda.", he told her as he winked to his friends who left as he made his way to Ned; the wink she missed, but the exodus Kim couldn't help but notice.

After a few moments Brian returned with his soda and helped lead Kim to the door.

"So Brian, what movie were you interested in going to see?"

XXX

_Middleton Park, near Bueno Nacho:_

Aimlessly walking through the park near Bueno Nacho in the early evening twilight, Roman's Spetsnaz trained senses kicked in as the hair on the back of his neck stood up. Taking in his surroundings, he power-walked to a more heavily wooded area of the park and climbed a tree to see just who and how many of his pursuers he had on his tail.

From the cover of dense foliage on a branch hanging over the sidewalk he heard, "Hey this way, Possible's sidekick came this way. I'm sure of it.", a black haired older teen called out to three other teens as he rushed under Roman's perch.

As he watched with interest while they continued on further into the park, Roman returned to the ground and pursued them. After a few minutes of listening to their banter he learned how he had been chosen for the beating they intended to give him. That and maybe how beating the snot out of him would somehow convince Kim that she should 'cross the tracks' and hang out with the 'Beautiful People' of MHS and not the loser.

Mirthlessly smirking while shaking his head at their plans, he formed a very devious plan of his own while lagging behind them, biding his time to strike when the sun had set and their senses not quite as sharp as in the light of day.

XXX

_Middleton Theater:_

With a frown and an incredulous eye roll, Kim sat beside Brian as she watched the movie he had picked out for them at the Middleton Theater. Arms crossed in disbelief at the mindless mishmash from a recent Cinema School Graduate an Independent Label had taken on as a hot new _Genius_ in the Movie Industry for the latest _"cause celeb"_ Hollywood was championing at the moment, she could only shake her head.

Her eyes cutting over to her 'date', _'What is wrong with this guy? This is so __**not**__ a movie you take a girl to on a date to impress her.'_, she mentally sighed in order to keep to herself the thoughts she had on what today's in-crowd teens believed were trending movie genres these days.

Fully prepared to speak to Brian shortly about bailing on the movie, Kim was roused from her musings when he suddenly wrapped an arm around her shoulder, his hand reaching around to grasp a part of her upper body he wasn't welcome to touch.

With a smirk the red head grasped the wayward hand and promptly bent it forward, until his fingertips touched his forearm.

After his brain registered a sensation he did not intend on feeling, Brian tried to extract his hand. But having nothing to do with it, Kim bore down harder, locking it in place where it was.

Now groaning in pain, "Kim, let go, please.", he whispered to her

Looking him in the eyes, "Not until you learn some manners Brian, so relax and I won't dislocate your wrist.", Kim whispered back. Then tightening her hold on his wrist, "That is unless you want to talk about this.", she said before clamping down harder as incentive.

Now in agony, "I'll talk, I'll talk, but lets go outside.", he painfully hissed.

Continuing her hold on his wrist, "Good, this was a crappy movie anyway.", Kim growled as she pulled him to his feet by his wrist.

Once in the lobby, "Ok, out the door and turn right." At his apparent question, "I'll tell you which way to go, and don't try anything if you want to use that hand for anything constructive in your life for the next week or so, like say, dating yourself.", the red head warned him.

After exiting the complex Kim looked around and led him to a barely lit, remote area of the parking lot.

"Talk.", she ordered as she squeezed down on a nerve in his hand.

"They'll kick my butt.", he shrieked.

"You don't talk and you're going to the ER for sure, so take your pick.", she warned dangerously.

"Ok, ok, just let my hand go.", he begged.

"Alright.", Kim released the young man, fully prepared for him to run first chance he got.

Once he got his hand back, Brian milked his _freedom_ for all it was worth as he shook the feeling back into it. When he thought she was distracted he ran from the red head as fast as he could. But it wasn't enough as Kim tackled him within twenty yards of bolting, getting his face ground into the broken asphalt for his efforts.

Nursing his bloody nose as he rose from the ground he threw a haymaker after he stood up which Kim saw coming from a mile away and blocked quite easily. Then getting a grip on the arm she blocked, Kim again grasped his wrist and swung her free elbow across his face, then ribs and completed the Trifecta with his jaw before she swept his feet from under him and onto the rock covered parking lot. To add insult to injury she followed him down to the surface, the intention to take the fight out of him.

But in his desperation Brian pushed Kim off of him; they rolled in opposite directions and each rose in a flash. Trying one last time to sucker punch the red head he swung at her again, but Kim moved to the outside of his arm, jammed an open palm directly into his extended elbow, and broke it at the joint.

After he fell to the ground again and rolled around, writhing in pain as he held his elbow, "Now get your sneak-attack ASS off the ground before I _really_ hurt you!", Kim ordered.

The fight finally taken out of him, the injured pretty-boy teen got to his feet, Kim immediately in his face.

Kim snapped, "Now first off, why did your friends follow my friend Ron out of Bueno Nacho earlier tonight?"

Moaning in pain, "We were paid to kick his ass; I was the decoy to get you away from him.", Brian confessed when the pissed off red head grabbed his elbow.

"Ok I'll accept that. Now second, where were they going?", Kim barked, turning red from the implication as she squeezed his elbow.

"Ahhh!", he cried until she released his arm. "I don't know, they were supposed to waylay him somewhere out in the park."

As she made sure he knew she was about to punch him in at least one sensitive area of his body, she asked, "Who hired you?", a fire in her eyes.

Desperation taking him over now, "This, this..big guy…with blond hair and a mustache, and a Five O'clock Shadow…He called Stumpable 'little dude' and said he wanted him beat up bad for what he did to his cousin Drew.", Brian ranted when Kim put a clenched fist in his face.

Her fist clenched even tighter, and shoved into the bridge of his nose, "How many were there?", Kim asked, her eyes wild.

White with panic, "Four..four of my friends..they would have been enough to stomp your sidekick with no trouble.", he admitted with a hoarse laugh before he realized just how close he was coming to being put into Critical Care at Middleton Hospital.

A palm strike to his sternum ended his _triumphant_ moment, "My 'sidekick', as you call him, doesn't take kindly to being mugged.", Kim said before she enlightened her 'date'. "Something none of you know about him is that he _can_ take care of himself. Even to the point of burying your friends if he _feels_ like it.", she emphasized with another shot to his ribs.

His eyes open wide in shock, she yanked him by his shirt to her face, "Now here's what we're going to do, both of us are going downtown and you're going to explain it to Officer Hobble. Then I'm going to go and find my PARTNER!", she shouted in his face.

Now blind with terror, he shook her off and was about to run off until Kim's spin hook kick took him down for the count.

"You're gonna need to put ice on that _chump_!", she spat at his unconscious body.

Sneering at his unconscious form, she pulled her Kimmunicator out, "I guess you won't be talking to Hobble anytime soon, _punk_, but I just might send Ron to find you later and finish the job and turn you into a girl.", Kim snarked before she thumbed the connect button.

Wade's image appeared onscreen, "Hi Kim, what up?" he asked of his Lead Field Agent.

Really pissed at what happened tonight she got right to the point, "Wade, where's Roman? Four guys tried to mug him …or worse tonight.", Kim explained.

Typing as quickly as he was known to do, "Well he was in the woods next to Bueno Nacho until a while ago…But now..he's in the tree house.", Wade replied after his online tracking search of their Teammate.

Concern filling her voice, "Is he alright?", Kim asked of her Tech Lead.

After scanning Roman's vitals, "Yeah, his blood pressure _is_ a little high and so is his pulse. But right now I can see he's in the tree house.", Wade assured Kim.

Relief flooding her sigh, "Thanks Wade, you rock!"

XXX

_Tree house:_

Quietly approaching the tree house, Kim could see a kerosene lamp in the window. As silently as she could she climbed the ladder and entered to see the blond sitting on the edge of the sofa, facing away from her; a lamp dimly lighting that corner of the room. She couldn't tell what he was doing but she could see he was focused on whatever it was.

"Dats et Rufusinki, just a lettle more vodka end ve finish.", Roman softly told the mole rat.

Unsure of what he was doing, "Roman...Roman, are you alright?", Kim asked, just as quietly.

Turning slightly to her, "Sssshhh, ahh Da, da. Eh em alright...Now Rufus let meh have neddle.", Roman's voice lowered as he concentrated on his arm.

Still mystified with his behavior, "What's wrong?", Kim asked as she moved to his side.

"Et es OK, almost have et closed up.", he informed her, as she moved to where she got a good look at him.

Her eyes finally adjusted to the low light, Kim nearly shouted, "Shit Roman, you have two gashes on that arm! It's a wonder you didn't bleed to death.", she said to the Russian as she watched him work, sewing up the last inch and a half on the last gash.

After he tied the suture off, "Dere all done now.", he smiled as he cut the thread and then put his 'tools' on a pan of blood-soaked rags on the table beside the sofa. He then turned to a bottle of clear liquid beside the pan and took a long pull from it.

When he had swallowed a gulp, "What happened?", she asked.

Shrugging, "Some friends ov vour date followed meh from Bueno Nacho into Middleton Park en decided to inform meh of dere displeasure vith me as vour friend, and oter tings.", Roman replied nonchalantly.

Extending her hand to his cuts, "But how'd you get that?", Kim said of the gashes he had just sewn up.

"Vell et vas dark in woods of park, one ov dem had knife Eh didn't see at first, so he got lucky..", his grin grim, then sinister, "Den he didn't get so lucky.", Roman's eyes gleamed.

"You didn't kill him, did you?", Kim asked in shock at the possibility.

"Nyet, Eh left him vith broken jaw en nose, oters Eh knocked out.", Roman assured her with a smirk.

As she expelled a nervous breath, "So..how ded date go?", she heard as he sat on a cushion of the sofa.

Collapsing on the sofa beside him, "His purpose was to get me away from you so his goons could attack you. I found this out after he tried to take some 'liberties'", she finger-quoted, "with me. After giving him a demonstration of CQC* and a few wristlocks, he told me everything.", Kim shrugged. "Well he did after I broke his elbow and a few other things too."

His eyebrows going up, "Oh? En who hired pretty-boy and goons?"

"Motor Ed, Drakken's cousin. You know, that muscle-bound gearhead we were briefed about?", Kim reminded him.

Pausing to scratch his chin, "Ah, Eh see.", then the back of his neck, "Eh vonder ef dis means villains know someting about mission.", Roman said before grabbing the unmarked bottle and taking another drink before handing it to his Mission Partner.

Pulling out her Kimmunicator, "I don't know, but we'd better inform the Colonel of tonight's activities and who was behind it.", Kim said after she took a long pull of her own from the bottle.

XX

_The Leaping Lemur Bar and Grill, in Lowerton:_

After Wade connected them to their CO, they decided this conversation needed to be in person where they could speak freely, yet would mask their identities. So one short ride to Lowerton to pick up the Jeep and to get into their disguises, an hour later they met with Barkin at a booth in a darkened corner of the bar.

Shortly after their Server checked their ID's and left with their drink and dinner orders, Barkin, wearing flannel, jeans, a cap and a bushy beard, turned to 'Trish' and 'Abner' and ordered lowly, "Let me see it."

"Vhy...uh Sir?", 'Abner' asked.

"Cause I told you."

Sighing," Yes Sir.", Roman replied as he took off the sweatshirt he put on at the Stoppable home.

After the older Marine looked at the gashes, he muttered, "How did he get that close?"

"Meh fault Sir, Eh dedn't see knife.", Roman simply explained.

Barkin looked accusingly at Kim, "Why weren't you with him to even the odds?"

Looking both guilty and pissed at the same time, "We..I, ended up on a date before all that happened.", Kim said to the Colonel. Before he could say anything else, "It was a trap! Brian Applewhite and his friends had been hired by Motor Ed to separate us so I could go off on that _date_,", she said distastefully, "while Roman would be ganged up on and beat up by his _pals_."

Gripping the table, "Since we were in a public place and I'm under orders to 'pursue' the hotties…well we had to split up to maintain the _mission parameters_ that we're just friends.", Kim said in frustration.

Looking to her, then looking to the approaching Server, "Maybe..oh, the drinks are here.", he said, putting a halt to any mission-related discussion.

Then after their Server left and checking out their drink orders, "Well, apparently 'Abner' here has influenced 'Trish' as to her taste in liquor.", Barkin chuckled. "You look like you're developing a taste for vodka.", pointing at their female counterpart.

"With 'Abner' here drinking vodka all the time, it seemed like a good idea.", Kim replied. Then picking up where he left off, "Now Sir, did you have an idea?"

Nodding, "Yes, I think it's best if you two were to spend as much time together as possible, for your safety and mission protection…Maybe date each other.", Barkin suggested.

Roman/Ron/'Abner' spoke up at this point, "Eh don't tink det es good idea, Sir."

A little peeved, Kim/'Trish' turned to him, "Oh, and why is that Rom..uh, 'Abner'?", something of a glare forming.

Taking her demeanor in, he pushed on, "Jest des…", he said as he pointed to her, "Vou are doing good job getting intelligence from vour end of food chain. Eh em doing Ok at meh end. To have us date each oter vould keep meh from lower end of chain vhile Eh would heve to hang out at upper end.", he told her, leaving out that while he really did want to date her, it would be better if they went about it other than as an assigned arrangement. That and the fact that he did have deep feelings for his Mission Partner and wasn't ready for her to know that, if it was at all possible.

Backing down, "Ok, maybe the dating idea won't work for now, but I might change my mind if we can find a way for that to work for you two.", Barkin said. "But make sure you two watch each other's backs from now on and stay close to each other when you can."

Receiving their nods of acceptance, Barkin then said, "And as to the knife with Stopblaski's blood on it,", to their sudden horror, "I'll see about getting it cleaned up so none of his blood remains in case anyone decides to run a DNA trace on _Ron Stoppable's blood_ from it for anything that might crop afterward.", he said with some gravity.

After settling their nerves and taking a drink from his Bourbon, "Now I'd like you do both to do me a favor if you can.", Barkin said with a serious look on his face. "Kick Edward Lipsky's ass for me the next chance you get.", then with a grin as their food was brought to the table, "Now the steaks here are great, so get another drink order going, and then sit back and enjoy them, it's on me tonight."

"Sure ting Sir, Eh'm in full agreement on de steaks here.", the blond agreed.

Then after their Server left the table, he said with a smirk, "Eh also heve idea to let Ed know Eh didn't appreciate his efforts vith meh.", Roman snickered.

Before he could explain to their CO his plans, Kim decided to bring him up to date with Roman's solution to their Wannaweep issue, "Sir, Abner here got rid of our 'problem' at that 'camp' for us.", she said to Barkin's raising eyebrows.

"You mean..?", he said when she nodded.

"He won't be a problem for any of us any more.", Kim answered. "And before you ask, no you won't be forming gills on your neck again either."

Nodding with a sigh of relief, "Good job, now where is he?", Barkin said as he leaned closer to Kim.

From beside her, "Most ef hem es on slab en morgue, de rest es scattered around county.", Roman interjected quietly with a smile.

A look of total surprise, "What did you do, cut him up?", their CO asked, not quite figuring the lengths his subordinate could go to on this.

Snorting, "Eh blew hem up. He wes real beeg mess…vell he made a beeg mess."

Stunned, "Oh.", was all Barkin could say.

XXX

_Later that night at the tree house:_

"Shut up and relax Roman, I'm not going to rape you. We're just going to take a nap together.", Kim told Roman as she laid them back and snuggled into his chest on the old sofa. She pulled the old comforter up to his shoulder as she got comfortable laying partially on him.

Relaxing, "Uh KP ...Ok, Eh relax.", the blond replied as she closed her eyes blissfully before she started to snore lightly. Looking sadly to their disguises on a table then back to her smiling face, with a sigh he moved her auburn locks from her cheek.

Wistfully wishing they were a couple, he lay back and closed his eyes, wrapped his arms around her and drifted off to sleep.

And just as he just dozed off he thought he felt his bunkmate's arms squeeze him back.

XXXX

Some interesting behind-the-scenes stuff going on for both here, a villain tried to strike close to home and the mission almost got altered. Before either would have been comfortable with the arrangement.

Slings and arrows, and knives too, before another debriefing in much more informal settings, but each realizes they are getting more comfortable with each other. Much to Barkin's dismay, I'm sure.

One more step closer to the end of the tunnel, yet one more instance of how the steps were taken.

A/N: CQC*: Close Quarters Combat.


End file.
